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Research Interests

Dr. Hibshman’s lab seeks to understand how some cells and organisms can survive extreme stress. By exploring biology at the limits of life we aim to both uncover the fascinating biological mechanisms that give rise to extreme stress tolerance and to discover protectants that can be repurposed for biomedical applications. The lab is particularly focused on the extreme stress of desiccation.
When dehydrated, the components of cells – DNA, proteins, and membranes – are prone to damage and degradation. Yet, some exceptional animals including tardigrades and nematodes can survive the near complete absence of intracellular water. Such organisms, collectively referred to as anhydrobiotes, must have exceptional mechanisms of cellular protection to ensure stability and survival. Many of the stresses of drying, such as disrupted proteostasis and DNA damage, are extreme versions of stresses associated with human diseases and aging. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms that desiccation-tolerant organisms employ for survival will reveal fundamental principles of cell stress resistance with implications for aging and rejuvenation. Protectants could also prove useful for biomedical applications like the storage of sensitive biological materials, such as cells, tissues, organs, proteins, and vaccines. Research in the lab is highly interdisciplinary, using a combination of genetic, cell biological, molecular, and biochemical approaches.